Yogyakarta — despite the official spelling, the name is usually pronounced and not uncommonly written Jogjakarta or just Jogja (JOG-jah) — is a major tourist destination in Java, Indonesia. It is the capital of Yogyakarta Special Region, to the south of Central Java province.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Yogyakarta is a bustling town of some 375,000 people (2020) and the most popular tourist destination on Java, largely thanks to its proximity to the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. The city is a centre of art and education, offers some good shopping and has a wide range of tourist facilities. It is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, where Rama, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu is said to have had his capital, and whose rule is considered by Hindus to be the epitome of good governance and a moral society. The city (kota) of Yogyakarta is one of five districts in the semi-autonomous province of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY), the "Yogyakarta Special Region".
Yogyakarta is a relatively small city, so travelling around town should not be too expensive. If you are travelling on foot, a street sign facing you at a corner indicates the name of the street you are entering, not the cross street. Medium and small buses are the main public transport in Yogyakarta. The TransJogja rapid transit system operates from 05:30 to 21:30 and stops only at designated shelters. They are air-conditioned and generally safe. Tickets can be bought at the kiosks, and the cost for a single trip is Rp3,600. You can buy regular trip cards which cut the per trip cost to Rp3,000, and allow transit to other shelters.
Being one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has many heritage buildings and monuments and the centre was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. The number one must-see attraction is Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono's palace, better known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta. Near the palace are a number of other heritage buildings : the BNI '46 building, the Central Post Office and Bank Indonesia. Other notable landmarks and attractions are: 1 Benteng Vredeburg (Vredeburg Fort), Jl Jenderal Ahmad Yani No.6, ☏ +62 274 586934, +62 274 510996. A Dutch fort in front of Gedung Agung (the President's Palace). A great example of Dutch colonial architecture.
Horse-drawn carriage rides — traditional horse-drawn carriages, the four-wheeled andhong and the two-wheeled horsecart call dokar, wait for tourists outside hotspots like the train station, the Kraton and Mal Malioboro. Haggle furiously. The traditional route is from Jl Malioboro to the Kraton. Andhong often want to take you to shop for fake Dagadu t-shirts at hefty prices in Ngasem. The cost for a round trip is about Rp20,000. They usually ask for Rp30,000 but may settle for less. While andhong primarily serve the tourist market, dokar are used more generally by the Jogjanese but are still happy to give you a tourist jaunt.
Yogyakarta food used to be known for its sweetness. However, as more and more people move to Jogja, the city starts seeing more diversity in flavor. Now you can find many kinds of interesting dishes, from sweet, spicy, to fiery. Sometimes a fusion from other cuisines such as Chinese or Western can be found. Since the influx of people from around the country, you can find some restaurants and cafes that open until 23:00 in the centre. If you want to eat the traditional way, head to Malioboro for a lesehan dinner in front of the closed shophouses, similar to the Japanese eating style on a tatami, but you sit on a mat and eat with your hands (you can ask for cutlery though).
Usually all clubs are willing to give free entry before midnight if you call and ask for a guestlist, unless on an important event night. 1 Republic, ☏ +62 274 566353. Hotel INNA Garuda, Jl. Malioboro 60. DJs and live music. Embassy, ☏ +62 274 484950. In Sheraton Hotel complex area (there's a tunnel connecting the club). Entrance fee around Rp35,000-100,000, depends on the event. Full set DJs. Music ranges from trance, house, to dubstep. The drinks are genuine, but are pretty pricey. Have a weekly discount night called Monday Madness 50% off. Usually they have free drinks from 22:00-02:00 on the last Thursday of every month with a fee of Rp100,000/person. Platinum, Jl. Sudirman.
Jogja has its share of petty crime like pickpocketing, especially in city buses and along Jalan Malioboro when crowded. Watch out for gallery scams and street sellers trying to get a commission for batik. These tend to occur around the Kraton and Malioboro areas. Scammers will approach tourists and tell them about a government art centre and will hire cheap transport to the 'genuine' gallery. If you're interested in buying batik, this isn't necessarily bad, but you are, in essence, being manipulated. These scams mainly occur on Jalan Malioboro. They have people waiting on the streets approaching foreigners, even if you're with a local companion.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Yogyakarta typically sees ~30°C daytime highs and 13 rainy days.
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